Electrical connections for wearables and other articles

ABSTRACT

This invention is related to electrical connections in wearable garments and other articles that enable the transfer of electrical signals or electrical power from one site in the garment or article to another site on the garment or article by the use of an electrical conductor printed along the length of a substrate which bridges the two sites.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to electrical connections in wearablegarments and other articles to enable the transfer of electrical signalsfrom one part of the garment to another part

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is increasing interest in incorporating electrical circuits inwearable garments to monitor physiological aspects of the wearer.Examples of such measurements include heart rate, electrocardiography,skin or core temperature and parameters of bodily fluids. Theseelectrical circuits are also useful for adding energy to power devicessuch as heaters to increase comfort or for adding information tocontained devices. These electrical circuits are also useful forarticles, e.g., sleeping bags and blankets, requiring stretchablecircuits. Additional uses for circuits in wearable garments and otherarticles are also contemplated. There is a need for methods oftransferring electrical signals from one part of the wearable garment orarticle to another part and therefore a need for making electricalconnections between different parts of the garment or article. Theseconnections must be maintained as the garment or article is stretchedand exposed to multiple wash and dry cycles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides electrical connections in wearable garments andother articles to enable the transfer of electrical signals orelectrical power from different sites of the garment or the articles.

The invention provides an electrical connection from a first site on awearable garment to a second site on the wearable garment, theelectrical connection comprising:

-   -   an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging        substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of        which is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

In one such embodiment, the first site is inside the wearable garmentand the second site is on the outer side of the wearable garment, andthe end of the bridging substrate at the second site has been passedthrough an opening in the garment that provides access to the secondsite so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of thegarment as it approaches the second site.

In another such embodiment, the first site is inside the wearablegarment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearablegarment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the secondsite has been passed through a seam in the garment that provides accessto the second site so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outerside of the garment as it approaches the second site.

In still another such embodiment, the first site is inside the wearablegarment and the second site is on the outer side of the wearablegarment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at the secondsite has been folded around the edge of the garment, i.e., the end of asleeve or a collar or the top or bottom of the garment, so that thebridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as itapproaches the second site.

The second site in the above embodiments may be in a pocket of thegarment or in a flap or a folded flap on the outer side of the garment.

The invention further provides an electrical connection from anelectrical conductor inside a wearable garment to a designated site onthe outer side of the garment, the electrical connection comprising:

-   -   an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging        substrate that can be laminated, wherein the electrical        conductor inside the wearable garment is an electrical conductor        printed on a substrate that can be laminated, wherein one end of        the bridging substrate is placed such that the printed conductor        at that end of the bridging substrate is in contact with the        printed electrical conductor inside the garment and the two        substrates inside the garment are laminated in the region of the        contact so that the two electrical conductors form an electrical        connection, and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate        is placed at the designated site.

In one such embodiment, the end of the bridging substrate at thedesignated site has been passed through an opening in the garment thatprovides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrateoverlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designatedsite.

In another such embodiment, the end of the bridging substrate at thedesignated site has been passed through a seam in the garment thatprovides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrateoverlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designatedsite.

In still another such embodiment, the end of the bridging substrate atthe designated site has been folded around the edge of the garment,i.e., the end of a sleeve or a collar or the top or bottom of thegarment, so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of thegarment as it approaches the designated site.

The designated site in the above embodiments may be in a pocket of thegarment or in a flap or folded flap on the outer side of the garment.

The wearable garments in any of the above embodiments may be a singlelayer or a multi-layer garment.

The invention also provides electrical connections between layers oftwo-layer or multi-layer garments. A two-layer garment may consist of aliner and an outside shell. A three-layer may consist of a liner, aninsulation layer and an outer shell.

In one such embodiment, the electrical connection is from a site insidethe inner layer of a wearable two-layer garment to a designated sitebetween the two layers of the two-layer garment, the electricalconnection comprising:

-   -   an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging        substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of        which is at the site inside the inner layer of the garment and        the other end is at the designated site and wherein the other        end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an opening        or a seam in the inner layer of the two-layer garment that        provides access to the designated site between the two layers of        the two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate is present        between the two layers and the end of the bridging substrate        with the electrical conductor thereon is placed at the        designated site.

In another such embodiment, the electrical connection is from a sitebetween the two layers of a wearable two-layer garment to a designatedsite outside the two-layer garment, the electrical connectioncomprising:

-   -   an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging        substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of        which is at the site between the two layers of the wearable        two-layer garment and the other end is at the designated site        and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been        passed through an opening or a seam in the outer layer of the        two-layer garment that provides access to the designated site        outside the two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate        overlaps the outer side of the garment and the end of the        bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereon is        placed at the designated site.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate may be laminatedto the wearable garment.

In still another such embodiment, the electrical connection is betweentwo sites separated by one or more layers of a wearable multi-layergarment, the electrical connection comprising:

-   -   an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging        substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of        which is at the first site and the other end is at the second        site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has        been passed through an opening in the one or more layers        separating the two sites that provides access to the second site        and that end of the bridging substrate is placed at the second        site.

The invention also provides an electrical connection from a first siteon an article to a second site on the article, the electrical connectioncomprising:

-   -   an electrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging        substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one of        which is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical connection may furthercomprise one or more additional electrical conductors printed along thelength of the bridging substrate.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate with the printedelectrical conductor may consist of two or more separate pieces ofsubstrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length andwherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate areplaced in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminatedtogether in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connectionsof the printed electrical conductors on the one or more pieces ofsubstrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside thegarment to a second site in a pocket on the outer side of the garmentwherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductoralong its length has one end at the first site and the other end at thesecond site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in thegarment to the second site in the pocket on the outer side of thegarment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside thegarment to a second site in a flap on the outer of the garment whereinthe bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor along itslength has one end at the first site and the other end at the secondsite and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in the garmentto the second site in the flap on the outer side of the garment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside thegarment to a second site in a folded flap on the outer side of thegarment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electricalconductor along its length has one end at the first site and the otherend at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through anopening in the garment to the second site in the folded flap on theouter side of the garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electrical connections in wearable garments orother articles to enable the transfer of electrical signals or powerfrom one part of a garment or article to another.

The invention provides an electrical connection from a first site on awearable garment to a second site on the wearable garment, theelectrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed alongthe length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate hastwo ends, one of which is at the first site and the other is at thesecond site. In an embodiment the first site is inside the garment andthe second site is on the outer side of the garment and the bridgingsubstrate, to access the outer side of the garment, has been passedthrough an opening in the garment or has been passed through a seam inthe garment or has been folded around the edge of the garment. In someembodiments the second site is in a pocket of the garment or in a flapor folded flap on the garment. In an embodiment the bridging substratecan be laminated. The garment in these embodiments can be a single layeror a multi-layer garment.

In some embodiments, the electrical connection is from an electricalconductor inside a wearable garment to a designated site on the outerside of the garment, the electrical connection comprising an electricalconductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate that can belaminated, wherein the electrical conductor inside the wearable garmentis an electrical conductor printed on a substrate that can be laminated,wherein one end of the bridging substrate is placed such that theprinted conductor at that end of the bridging substrate is in contactwith the electrical conductor inside the garment and the two substratesinside the garment are laminated in the region of the contact so thatthe two electrical conductors form an electrical connection, and whereinthe other end of the bridging substrate is placed at the designatedsite. In these embodiments, to access the outer side of the garment, thebridging substrate has been passed through an opening in the garment orhas been passed through a seam in the garment or has been folded aroundthe end of a sleeve or the collar or the bottom of the garment. In someembodiments the second site is in a pocket of the garment or in a flapor folded flap on the garment. The garment in these embodiments can be asingle layer or a multi-layer garment.

As used herein, “bridging substrate” refers to the substrate with theelectrical conductor printed along its length, the substrate bridgingthe gap between site 1 and site 2 or between the electrical conductorinside the garment and the designated site on the outer side of thegarment.

As used herein, “flap” refers to a projecting or hanging piece attachedto the outer side of the garment. The flap may be folded to form a“folded flap” that provides an enclosure for the designated site and anyattachments to it.

As used herein, “wearable garment” or “wearable” refers to any articlethat may be worn by a person and includes a shirt, a sweater, a coat orjacket, a pair of slacks, socks, and footwear.

As used herein, “lamination” refers to the bonding of two layerstogether. This can be accomplished by the typical process of heat andcompressing the layers but also by other means such as the use of anadhesive or gluing.

Some of the above embodiments will be discussed with reference to theFigures.

FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside thegarment to a second site in a pocket on the outer side of the garmentwherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductoralong its length has one end at the first site and the other end at thesecond site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in thegarment to the second site in the pocket on the outside of the garment.The garment 1 has a pocket 2 and an opening in the garment 3. There is afirst site 4 inside the garment and a second site 5 on the outer side ofthe garment in the pocket 2. The bridging substrate 6 with theelectrical conductor 7 printed along its length is shown beginning atthe first site 4, passing through the opening 3 and terminating at thesecond site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the pocket 2. FIG. 1also illustrates an electrical connection from an electrical conductor 4inside a wearable garment to a designated site 5 on the outer side ofthe garment in the pocket 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside thegarment to a second site in a flap on the outer side of the garmentwherein the bridging substrate with the printed electrical conductoralong its length has one end at the first site and the other end at thesecond site and the bridging substrate passes through an opening in thegarment to the second site in the flap on the outside of the garment.The garment 1 has a flap 2 and an opening in the garment 3. There is afirst site 4 inside the garment and a second site 5 on the outer side ofthe garment in the flap 2. The bridging substrate 6 with the electricalconductor 7 printed along its length is shown beginning at the firstsite 4, passing through the opening 3 and terminating at the second site5 on the outer side of the garment in the flap 2. FIG. 2 alsoillustrates an electrical connection from an electrical conductor 4inside a wearable garment to a designated site 5 on the outer side ofthe garment in the flap 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates an electrical connection from a first site inside thegarment to a second site in a folded flap on the outer side of thegarment wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electricalconductor along its length has one end at the first site and the otherend at the second site and the bridging substrate passes through anopening in the garment to the second site in the folded flap on theoutside of the garment. The garment 1 has a folded flap 2 and an openingin the garment 3. There is a first site 4 inside the garment and asecond site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the folded flap 2. Thebridging substrate 6 with the electrical conductor 7 printed along itslength is shown beginning at the first site 4, passing through theopening 3 and terminating at the second site 5 on the outer side of thegarment in the folded flap 2. FIG. 3 also illustrates an electricalconnection from an electrical conductor 4 inside a wearable garment to adesignated site 5 on the outer side of the garment in the folded flap 2.

Embodiments with the bridging substrate 6 passing through a seam wouldbe similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 with a seamreplacing the opening.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bridging substrate 6 is adjacent to the garment1 both inside and outside the garment and the electrical conductor 7 isexposed making connections at the electrical conductor 4 inside thegarment and the designated site 5 outside the garment convenient. Thebridging substrate can be reversed so that the electrical conductor 7 isadjacent to the garment 1 both inside and outside the garment therebyproviding the electrical conductor 7 protection from abrasion. Forembodiments in which the bridging substrate with the printed electricalconductor consists of two separate pieces of substrate each with anelectrical conductor printed along its length, the two substrates can beplaced so that the bridging substrate 6 is adjacent to the garment 1 onone side of the garment and the electrical conductor 7 is adjacent tothe garment on the other side. Similar reversals or combinations of twoseparate pieces of substrate are applicable to all embodiments includingthose shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The invention also provides for the transfer of electrical signals fromone part of a multi-layer garment to another part. In one embodiment,the electrical connection is from a site inside the inner layer of awearable two-layer garment to a designated site between the two layersof the two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising anelectrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate,wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the siteinside the inner layer of the garment and the other end is at thedesignated site between the two layers and wherein the other end of thebridging substrate has been passed through an opening or a seam in theinner layer of the two-layer garment that provides access to thedesignated site between the two layers of the two-layer garment so thatthe bridging substrate is present between the two layers and the end ofthe bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereon is placedat the designated site.

In another embodiment, the electrical connection is from a site betweenthe two layers of a wearable two-layer garment to a designated siteoutside the two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising anelectrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate,wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the sitebetween the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment and the otherend is at the designated site outside the two-layer garment and whereinthe other end of the bridging substrate has been passed through anopening or a seam in the outer layer of the two-layer garment thatprovides access to the designated site outside the two-layer garment sothat the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment andthe end of the bridging substrate with the electrical conductor thereonis placed at the designated site.

The invention also provides an electrical connection between two sitesseparated by one or more layers of a wearable multi-layer garment, theelectrical connection comprising an electrical conductor printed alongthe length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate hastwo ends one of which is at the first site and the other end is at thesecond site and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has beenpassed through an opening in the one or more layers separating the twosites that provides access to the second site and that end of thebridging substrate is placed at the second site.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate may be laminatedto the wearable garment, i.e., to the garment itself, or depending onthe location of the designated site, to a pocket, to a flap or a foldedflap. As used herein “laminated to the wearable garment” includes allthese possibilities.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate may comprisethermoplastic urethane. When thermoplastic urethane has been used as thebridging substrate, lamination has been carried out using a hot presswith a temperature of 130° C. and a pressure of 60 psi on the inflatablebladder and a press time of 15 seconds.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical conductor printed alongthe length of the bridging substrate may be formed from a polymer thickfilm conductor composition.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical conductor printed alongthe length of the bridging substrate may be formed from a polymer thickfilm silver composition.

In any of the above embodiments, the electrical connection may furthercomprise one or more additional electrical conductors printed along thelength of the bridging substrate.

In any of the above embodiments, the bridging substrate with the printedelectrical conductor may consist of two or more separate pieces ofsubstrate each with an electrical conductor printed along its length andwherein the printed conductors of neighboring pieces of substrate areplaced in contact and neighboring pieces of substrate are laminatedtogether in the regions of contact to achieve the electrical connectionsof the printed electrical conductors on the one or more pieces ofsubstrate.

The invention also provides an electrical connection from a first siteon an article to a second site on the article, the electrical connectioncomprising an electrical conductor printed along the length of abridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one ofwhich is at the first site and the other is at the second site.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical connection from a first site on anarticle to a second site on the article, the electrical connectioncomprising: an electrical conductor printed along the length of abridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends, one ofwhich is at the first site and the other is at the second site.
 2. Theelectrical connection of claim 1, wherein the article is a wearablegarment and the electrical connection is from the first site on thewearable garment to the second site on the wearable garment.
 3. Theelectrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site is inside thewearable garment and the second site is on the outer side of thewearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate at thesecond site has been passed through an opening in the garment thatprovides access to the second site so that the bridging substrateoverlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.4. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site isinside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side ofthe wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate atthe second site has been passed through a seam in the garment thatprovides access to the second site so that the bridging substrateoverlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the second site.5. The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site isinside the wearable garment and the second site is on the outer side ofthe wearable garment, and wherein the end of the bridging substrate atthe second site has been folded around an edge of the garment so thatthe bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of the garment as itapproaches the second site.
 6. The electrical connection of claim 2,wherein the bridging substrate is laminated to the wearable garment. 7.The electrical connection of claim 2, wherein the second site is in apocket, a flap or a folded flap on the wearable garment.
 8. Theelectrical connection of claim 2, wherein the first site is at anelectrical conductor inside the wearable garment and the second site isa designated site on the outer side of the wearable garment, theelectrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed alongthe length of a bridging substrate that can be laminated, wherein theelectrical conductor inside the wearable garment is an electricalconductor printed on a substrate that can be laminated, wherein one endof the bridging substrate is placed such that the printed conductor atthat end of the bridging substrate is in contact with the printedelectrical conductor inside the wearable garment and the two substratesinside the wearable garment are laminated in the region of the contactso that the two electrical conductors form an electrical connection, andwherein the other end of the bridging substrate is placed at thedesignated site.
 9. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein theend of the bridging substrate at the designated site has been passedthrough an opening in the garment that provides access to the designatedsite so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer side of thegarment as it approaches the designated site.
 10. The electricalconnection of claim 8, wherein the end of the bridging substrate at thedesignated site has been passed through a seam in the garment thatprovides access to the designated site so that the bridging substrateoverlaps the outer side of the garment as it approaches the designatedsite.
 11. The electrical connection of claim 8, wherein the end of thebridging substrate at the designated site has been folded around theedge of the garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outerside of the garment as it approaches the designated site.
 12. Theelectrical connection of claim 8, wherein the designated site is in apocket, a flap or a folded flap on the wearable garment.
 13. Theelectrical connection of claim 8, wherein the bridging substrate islaminated to the wearable garment.
 14. The electrical connection ofclaim 8, wherein the bridging substrate with the printed electricalconductor consists of two or more separate pieces of substrate each withan electrical conductor printed along its length and wherein the printedconductors of neighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact andneighboring pieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions ofcontact to achieve the electrical connections of the printed electricalconductors on the two or more pieces of substrate.
 15. The electricalconnection of claim 2, wherein the wearable garment is a wearabletwo-layer garment and wherein the first site is inside the inner layerof the wearable two-layer garment and the second site is a designatedsite between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment, theelectrical connection comprising: an electrical conductor printed alongthe length of a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate hastwo ends one of which is at the first site inside the inner layer of thegarment and the other end is at the designated site and wherein theother end of the bridging substrate has been passed through an openingor a seam in the inner layer of the wearable two-layer garment thatprovides access to the designated site between the two layers of thewearable two-layer garment so that the bridging substrate is presentbetween the two layers and the end of the bridging substrate with theelectrical conductor printed thereon is placed at the designated site.16. The electrical connection of claim 15, wherein the bridgingsubstrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of two or moreseparate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductor printedalong its length and wherein the printed conductors of neighboringpieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboring pieces ofsubstrate are laminated together in the regions of contact to achievethe electrical connections of the printed electrical conductors on thetwo or more pieces of substrate.
 17. The electrical connection of claim2, wherein the wearable garment is a wearable two-layer garment andwherein the first site is between the two layers of the wearabletwo-layer garment and the second site is a designated site is outside ofthe wearable two-layer garment, the electrical connection comprising: anelectrical conductor printed along the length of a bridging substrate,wherein the bridging substrate has two ends one of which is at the firstsite between the two layers of the wearable two-layer garment and theother end is at the designated site outside the wearable two-layergarment and wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has beenpassed through an opening or a seam in the outer layer of the two-layergarment that provides access to the designated site outside the wearabletwo-layer garment so that the bridging substrate overlaps the outer sideof the wearable two-layer garment and the end of the bridging substratewith the electrical conductor printed thereon is placed at thedesignated site.
 18. The electrical connection of claim 17, wherein thebridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of twoor more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductorprinted along its length and wherein the printed conductors ofneighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboringpieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact toachieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductorson the two or more pieces of substrate.
 19. The electrical connection ofclaim 2, wherein the wearable garment is a wearable multi-layer garmentand wherein the first site and the second site are separated by one ormore layers of the wearable multi-layer garment, the electricalconnection comprising: an electrical conductor printed along the lengthof a bridging substrate, wherein the bridging substrate has two ends oneof which is at the first site and the other end is at the second siteand wherein the other end of the bridging substrate has been passedthrough an opening in the one or more layers separating the two sitesthat provides access to the second site and that end of the bridgingsubstrate with the electrical conductor printed thereon is placed at thesecond site.
 20. The electrical connection of claim 19, wherein thebridging substrate with the printed electrical conductor consists of twoor more separate pieces of substrate each with an electrical conductorprinted along its length and wherein the printed conductors ofneighboring pieces of substrate are placed in contact and neighboringpieces of substrate are laminated together in the regions of contact toachieve the electrical connections of the printed electrical conductorson the two or more pieces of substrate.